David d



D. D. GORDON SWITCH F iled Sept. 19 1919 ,jaz 262 2 Patented July 29, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID D. GORDON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINGIS, ASSIGNOR TC- MCGILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF VALPARAISO, INDIANA, A COEPORATTQN INDIANA.

SWITCH.

Application filed. September 19, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID D. GORDON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ghi cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Switches, of which the fOllOWiIig is a. full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to switch mechanisms, and has t do more particularly with the small type of switch ordinarily employed in connection with incandescent lamp sockets, an object being t pr vide an improved and simplified device of this character.

One of the features of my invention is the provision of an improved yieldingly cooperating set of switch contacts. Another feature is the provision of improved and simplified insulating means for the switch arm.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated the preferred form of my invention, in which Fig. 1 is a section through the switch shell and switch showing the operating mechanism inside the insulating mounting block;

Fig. 2 is cross section along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the switch arm and yieldingly mounted contact maker carried thereby;

Fig. 4 shows the switch arm in its contact closing position with the contact maker crossing the stationary contact arms; and

Fig. 5 shows another construction for insulatingly supporting the contact arm at the pivot.

Referring now more in detail to the construction shown it comprises a switch mechanism carried inside hollowed insulating mounting blocks 5 and (3 enclosed by a shell 7 and cap 8. A threaded sleeve 9 is carried within the shell for supporting the lamp.

As to the switch mechanism this is in the form of a snap action switch carrying a reciprocatable switch arm operated by a uni versally mounted switch lever which protrudes from the side of the shell. Referring to the construction shown more in detail it includes a frame 10 secured to the base block 6 and having side arms 11, 12,

Serial No. 324,321.

each one of which carries an outwardly projecting pivot stud l3 bent out from the frame and on which the switch arm 14 is supported. This switch arm carries a contact maker 15 preferably in the form of a rigid bar extending through. a clip- 16 the bar 15 resting against a strip 17 of insulating material. The contact bar 15 has a slightly loose fit in the clip 16 so that it may partake of a slight pivotal movement if necessary when engaging contacts 2O 2l, should they be out of alignment. The clip 16 has an extension 18 projecting through the end wall of the switch arm 1% and attached to an operating spring 19, which serves to throw the switch arm l l from one position to another and at the same time yieldingly hold the contact maker 15 so that it will give when sliding over the stationary contacts 20, 21. The contact 20 extends through the lower mounting block 6 to the center contact- 32 and the switch contact 21 is extended to the binding post The other binding post 24: is connected to the threaded sleeve 9 s that the circuit for the lamp extends from binding post 23 to contact 21, contact maker 15, contact 20, center terminal 32, the lamp, threaded shell 9, to the other binding post 24,-.

Referring again to the movable switch arm 14 this is preferably insulated from the frame and the rest of the switch mechanism, and t this end I provide bearings 25 which are fork shaped and made of insulating material, the said bearings being slotted to re ceive the switch arms 14 which are forked at the end and pressed inwardly against the bearings 25. These forked bearings 25 are then slipped over the pivot pins 13 and the a-rm'l lis held in position by means of the spring 19 which is connected to a floating intermediate link 26 which is in the form of a yoke, the cross piece of which carries a hook2? to which the spring 19 is secured. The other or free ends of this link 26 have inwardly extending pivot pins 28 wh ch pro ject into holes in the operating link 30. This link 30 is also in the shape of a yoke, the cross head of which carries a connector 31 to which a wire loop 32 is fastened. This loop 32 extends into the operating lever 33 and is held in place by a screw all. If it is desired to operate the switch by a chain eXicllsion, such chain 34 may be held pivot 28.

by the forked ends of the wire loop 32. The lever 33 is supported upon a flanged plate 40, so as to permit a universal tilting move ment of the lever 33 and also a lineal movement thereof. That is, this lever 33 may be tilted in any direction or pulled straight out.

Referring back to the intermediate link 26, this carries hook extensions 36, 37, which are adapted to catch over the ends 38, 39 of the frame when the switch is operated by the lever 33. That is, assuming the mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. 1, by operating lever 33, operating link 30 is pulled toward the right, thereby acting upon the intermediate link 26 through the Link 26 therefore is first pulled slightly toward'the right until the hook 36 engages frame 38 so that a continued movement of the lever 33 imparts a pivotal move ment to link 36 about the pivot point This continued movement of intermediate link 26 causes its free end to move upwardly and as soon as the point 27 thereof raises the spring 39 so that the moving end passes beyond the center between it and the attached end 18, switch arm 14 moves forwardly by snap action so that the contact maker 15 is freed from the contacts 20, 21. Upon releasing the pressure upon lever 233 spring 19 restores it to its normal position at which time the intermediate link 26 has its hooked end 37 in the lower position for cooperation with the extension 39 on the switch frame. Therefore the next operation of the switch arm. will cause an operation.

I of the parts as before, but this time to swing the switch arm 14 downwardly to cause its rigid contact maker 15 t engage and cross the switch contacts 20, 21. In connection with the switch contacts of devices of this character difficulty is had in securing and maintaining an adjustment of the parts where the flexibility of the stationary contacts, as 20 and 21, is depended upon the effect intimate contact between the switch contacts. To overcome this I have provided the rigid contact maker 15 which is yieldingly carried by the switch arm 14, so that it may yield outwardly or pivotally to properly engage the stationary contacts 20, 21. It is also to be noted that I provide a single spring 19 which acts to operate the switch arm 14 and at the same time permits a yielding operation of the rigid contact member 15 and also holds the forked bearing 25 of the switch arm against the pivot pins 13, thereby securing a most simple and effective structure. By providing the insulated forked bearings 25, the assemblying of the switch is simplified as compared with the use of insulating bushings heretofore employed. That is where the insulated bushings are inserted through openings in the sides of the switch arm 14, the assemblying of the parts is not so readily accomplished as Where the forked bearing is employed.

In Fig. 5 I show another method of insulatingly supporting the switch arm 14 by means of the forked construction and insulated bearing. As shownin Fig. 5 in stead of providing a forked insulating member I simply fork the switch arm 14 at 14 and provide a shouldered bushing 35 which is placed over the studs 13 projected from the switch frame 11. The forked end 14 of the switch arm 14 is then simply seated against the insulating bearing 35 and the arm 14 held in position by means of the spring 19 and parts 15, 16, and 17 as in the other form already described.

For the purpose of illustrating my device I have shown several constructions but I contemplate employing my invention in other ways than that shown and therefore do not desire to be limited to the construction shown and described but aim to cover all that which comes within the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

l Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure byUnited States Letters Patent is:

1. A switch mechanism including a U- shaped switch member, means for pivotally supporting said member at the free ends of its arms, a rigid contact bar mounted upon the yoke of the switch member, a pair of relatively stationary switch contacts for cooperation with the contact bar, and means for yieldingly and pivotally holding the contact bar so that it may pivot and move bodily perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the switch member.

2. A switch mechanism including a pivotally mounted movable switch arm, a pair of stationary switch contacts, means including a spring for operating a free end of the switch arm toward and away from the switch contacts, and a contact maker supported upon the free end of the switch arm and yieldingly held by said spring so as to be movable independent of the arm for cooperation with the switch contacts so as to operatively engage the contacts.

3. A switch mechanism including an oscillating contact arm having a forked pivotal end, a pivot stud, a contact member and means for yielding holding the forked end and stud in cooperative relation and for yieldingly supporting the contact member.

4. A switch mechanism including a U shaped oscillating contact arm having insulated forked pivotal ends, a pivot stud, and means for yieldingly holding the arm against the pivot but insulated therefrom.

5. A switch mechanism including an oscillating contact member comprising a pair of arms having insulated forked pivotal ends and a connecting portion, a pivot stud, and a spring for operating the arm and holding the forked end and pivot stud in cooperative relation.

6. A switch mechanism including an oscillating contact member comprising a pair of arms having insulated forked pivotal ends and a connecting portion a pivot stud, a contact member, means carrying said contact member extending through said connecting portion, and a spring connected with said means for{ operating the arm, 10

ing said contact member.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 13th day of August A D., 15

DAVID D. GORDON. 

